


NOTES and SPOILERS for "Dodging Consequence"

by Kasan_Soulblade



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Incomplete NOTES and end story SPOILERS for ending of "Dodging Consequence"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2020-10-21 01:17:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20685104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasan_Soulblade/pseuds/Kasan_Soulblade
Summary: As my computer is trying it's best to shut down I'm using this site to preserve stories and notes, this is a compilation of the notes for "dodging consequences" and has my notes detailing the ending as well as world building and what not.





	1. Chapter 1

Story Notes for “Dodging Consequences” and it’s possible sequels.  
  
Table of contents:  
1 Opening notes, story general ideas  
2 Differences between it and it’s starter story Cut and Run  
3 The cast  
A People, profession (snippit info), temperament  
B) their pokemon team, favored attacks/tactics  
C) General history of the person  
D) General history of the pokemon  
4 Scene ideas  
  
Notes and General Ideas  
  
Differences between Dodging and Cut and Run  
While loosely related to Cut and Run this story (possibly series) varies in a number of ways.  
  
The Cast

  
A Leonardo Satoshi Giovanni

Age: Fourty two

Profession: Gym Trainer, Entrepreneur, honorary member of the elite four per social activism in Viridian, known as progressive pseudo political figure and businessman  
Secretly runs team rocket, is suspected of black market activities and supporting the mob like organization. Upon his death investigation started but many months later no proof can be dug up, it seems as if someone were cleaning up after what tracks there were in the first place.

Status: Legally dead, body found in an orange Isle lab after mew twos attempted escape caused catastrophic damages to the areas ecology thus causing an investigation. Legal accounts have been frozen until will is dug up and honored. There is some blockage due to a fiscal struggle over his heirs (distant family, mother’s side, unlike canon his father was the Boss, not his mother) which will come up as unsuccessful. Oak is set to get all fiscal benefits of Leo’s fortune with the stricture that he does not give any of Gio’s so-called descents or their organizations. If Oak were to die then all the funds would be absorbed by various charities in Viridian after a murder investigation was launched to confirm no foul play.

Presently trapped in the body of a Nidoran male, unable to communicate, but given time and enough frustration has enough dexterity to handle a keyboard with many misspellings to communicate, may also resort to writing things out in the ground with his paws. At present still adjusting to his new form and barely able to get around/move, was mistaken for a newborn Nidoran and taken in by Oak. Given to Ash as his starter.  
  


B 

Persian (unnamed),

status pre death: Loyal, status post death, loyal affectionate, views them as equals, along for antidote on Leo’s behalf. Location: Viridian, taken over old HQ by a bed factory

Fury (a fearow), 

status: pre death: Aggressive but cowed,  
Status after death: reverted to feral, released, probably not going to be used in this fic.   
Location: wandering

Brutus (a ryhorn),  
status pre death: vicious as trainer,  
post death hostile, views trainer as weak and will attempt to kill  
Location: Mt moon

Nidoking:  
Status pre death: loyal/friendly  
After: friendly but patronizing, is along for amusement   
Location: Under the game corner

Debris (a golem)  
status pre death, indifferent,  
status after, hostile if capture is attempted   
Location: near Cinnabar

Machamp  
status pre death, barely controlled  
after death, hateful, will kill anyone on site.   
Location, Wandering Celadon

Kaunguskaun

Description pending

C

A Professor Samual Oak  
Age 54  
Profession: Pokemon researcher, specialist, part time teacher

B) Professor Oaks team,  
Non existent save for a personal porygon in his computer and the three starter pokemon he gave out.

Travis, the shy boy in red got the charmander

Vi, the girl in green, got Bulbasaur

Gary got the Squirtle

Pikachu (per the anime was taken in by a foreign exchange trainer whose an expy for Red. There was a sizable amount put down up front thus Oak dared not to investigate too overtly the child’s origins. An aide dealt with Red and set him up with Pikachu. The aide cannot describe Red, and is unsettled about that day’s events becoming confused if pressed.

C

A Ash Satoshi Ketchum  
Age 12  
Profession: Jr. Researcher  
Special Notes:  
Because Ash’s goal is research vs canon’s goal of training he does not have the standard supply of materials.  
In short money is a concern. He gets none of the standard league assist (free board at the centers, free food at the centers or events, as well as the social respect being a real trainer entails) His supplies come from Oak, his Mom and whatever he can earn in battles (he uses fights and winings in battles if he wants to stay in food and clothes)

Note: While Ash is somewhat used to tight resources, Leo is not, Persian is more than willing to steal to provide but Ash is not willing to take what’s offered

Supply limit:   
(Catching supplies)Have five pokeballs (standard) In Pewter he will meet an aspiring apricorn ball expert and will occasionally sample the wares for the man’s research, giving him an occasional boost in supplies. The terms of the agreement are as follows. Half of his catches are his, the other half are taken so that the pokemon can be researched in relation to the balls (they are also sometimes sold). 

(Food)If Ash comes to a center between ten am to five pm he can receive one meal out of a pokecenter if his team is being checked up. Others must be scrounged up. The same regards team meals, if the pokemon travel in their balls he will only need to feed once every two days (slowed metabolism in balls) Persian and Leo will not enter theirs however (Leo because he cannot, Persian because he may like the child but doesn’t trust him on his own) all others have no problems. 

(Water dehydration)Water is freely available (fountains, legally restaurants have to supply all people entering with a glass) in the wilderness contaminants are not a big concern but finding a non-contested spot can be. (An exception for Celedon and its grimmer problem is in permanent effect) Ash carries enough water for four days for himself, if he splits it up with his ‘mon it takes a half day off per mon active, when this becomes a problem he might spring for more carrying supplies if finances are available.

(Shelter) In inclement weather (freeze, rains, ecetera) centers can lift a ban on him staying, but unless one of his pokemon is severely hurt he can’t stay the night but until closing. Ash’s alternative is inns, motels, camping and the generosity of the private research firms he visits.

  
Special notes, regarding finances and supplies.

If Gio warms enough to Ash he’ll start covertly donating to Ash’s finds, via a trainer ship grant to Oak who will immediately sink the funds into all of his prospective trainers accounts (therefore ash gets some benefit). By Vermillion he will access his Rocket accounts to flat out supply Ash overtly and will be communicating openly with the child but not with the child’s parent or Oak. He will also prevent Ash from talking about him so to prevent himself from being researched on or the child from being committed.

B)

Ash’s team:  
  
Nidoran Male, starter (Oak provides)  
Name: Leo

Has to work with basic moves, favors poisen needle, tackle, and leer in early chapter and practices his sharp shooting skills while walking. Regularly emphasizes and is initially leery of initiating any physical attacks due to the trauma of accidentally poisoning the child with his horn. Claws exude a corrosive acid which he scrapes off of the sides of buildings, rocks, ecetera as not doing so causes paw aches and headaches about his horn.

Persian, Male, Leo’s Persian (found feral in Viridian)

Leo’s Persian, is tagging along and is loyal of Giovanni personally, not Ash. Will take orders from Leo and not Ash at first. As the boy somewhat learns a bit he will start listening to the child. Refers to Ash as Leo’s kitten, Meowth-child and is wryly tolerant of the boy’s overflowing affections.

Sandshrew, Male 

Named: “Sunny”  
Found feral at mount moon  
(thought to be a girl)  
A wild pokemon that attaches itself to Ash while he does some surveying on ground types, is warm and playful but rather young and not that intelligent. Both Persian and Leo like to wind him up, once he learns what being wound up is.  
  
Others pending,

Rough ideas

Leo’s nidoking or ryhorn join up.

Ash catches a doduo female and male each head is different gender. Takes in from trainer who decides to opt out paying and peddles pokemon instead  
With present set up can allow two misses with present pokemon catching tool stash

C

A Delia Flores Ketchum  
Age: 33

Notes pending  
  
Trainer RED  
age unknown  
Special notes about red

An expy from Red in the anime trainers and gym leaders who encounter Red are unsettled by his mute unresponsive boy who wordlessly steps in front of them meets their gaze and tosses down a pokeball. His lead pokemon is a dull eyes unresponsive chu who attacks on command but has no other motions save to obey commands. Those who defeat his first mon are attacked by another that they can not recall but always lose to and their pokemon sicken after the battle. Those who do not accept the wordless challenge usually come too after an odd whiting of their vision, they get sick (flu like, passes after a few days) but all challenge accepted or not, all report that during their encounter with the strange trainer they could focus on nothing but the child and it took effort not to call out their pokemon.  
  
Pokémon do not recover from Red’s second ‘mon status effect (it looks like poison at first glance but treating with antidote and further tests show that there’s nothing wrong) any mon that has this illness that’s stored corrupts the system that houses it and passes it’s “illness” to at least one ‘mon in the system.  
  
What’s going on, authors note:

_ **DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT END STORY SPOILERS!** _

Red is really a corrupted Mewtwo (the one Leo killed in chapter one) if scanned with a dex he registers as a ghost/physic type and then erases all data saved in the dex. All technology also malfunctions when he’s in the area, at first this is accidental but as time goes on he learns to use it and cause blackouts, damages, lost data wherever he goes.

Reds team

Pikachu (ash’s starter from the anime) he follows commands and moves woodenly and only on command otherwise he pads after his owner, never looking up.

M: Missing number glitch, appears as an aberration that solidifies after the first blink into a random pokemon type. Has no defense or special defense so any hit will take it down. However as it’s a flaw in reality made inherit where it’s at is not actually where its at. Aiming a bit down and to the left will actually hit it (space/mater working like a reflection in the water when one fishes)

Bad Egg: the origin of the illness  
  
Scene/plot ideas:

If defeated Red will cede defeat and offer to show the person something really cool. He will act boyish and enthusiastic pouring on the charm and warmth and will not take no for an answer. Once the person agrees the bad egg is revealed and all pokemon in the area wild, tamed and in their balls are poisoned, all people in the area sicken as well.  
The bad egg hatches in golden rod, corrupting all the eggs in the nearby hatchery into copies of itself. Ash, whose trying to get away from red is challenged, Leo beats M and chu and bad egg is revealed. It hatches reveling the world to be a green tinted monochrome of sorts. All non-vital buildings dissolve into bits and pieces (legos, mirages, misting away the closer you get so not even the suggestion of them remains) leaving only pokecenters (curtailed mockeries) pokeshopes, and gyms. The effect is tunnel and people buildings and the world outside it’s boundaries are normal and “dissolve” if they touch it, they reform on the other side unharmed but sickened.

Leo is revealed in his human form when in area of effect. He does not disclose his identity.

Attempts to stop Red and the effect.

Ash tries reason, Persian tries non-lethal force (the attack dissolves) and Leo ups to lethal force (it hits, he shoots the boy in the back) this does not stop or slow the boy down but shows the creatures real (rotting) form for a moment. Red does look back, his eyes now permanently blank purple voids, and after saying “He has to be the best, just has to, and you know what the best get to be legends” he disappears/teleports.

  
Leo reverts back to Nido form, Ash is stumbling to illness, calls hospital using boys phone. Last act as human.

At hospital Oak and Ash’s mom are present, order journey off. Leo revels himself during that drama using rooms computer. Details dragged out of Ash, no one will believe, that’s’ why nothing said before. Oak, mulling over ramifications and effect they’ve noticed uses last of authority to flag the league.  
Delia insists on Ash being done with this insanity, insists on taking Ash home, during effort to go home Ash spies Red leaving (mahogany) slips off to call Oak but is seen in turn, Red’s regard causes whole train center to go down, with smirk Red teleports off.

Stating “Forgot hat” Ash runs off, finds Oak at hotel talking to a man in cape., with Leo using a keyboard to talk back. Babbles what happened, has to repeat twice since jumbled. After getting it said right mother comes in and tells him his “hat’ is on his head and tries to drag him out. Lance steps in, introduced himself as “just a trainer” Mom chimes in that that’s nice, but now that Ash’s found his hat on his head they are done. Now.

Before worse happens.

“Worse”

Delia explains tech failure shatter at station, admits that they are trapped here until buses fixed. Lance flicks on news, broadcasting glitch but gets that all tech impacted, infested with virus’. All transport and transport systems are indefinitely shut down.  
  
“I think someone’s hedging things a bit” Oak murmured.

“Really Sam you’re being a bit dramatic.’

“An entity that can narrow down the perceived world to accommodate it’s focus, I think I’m _understating_ things Delia.”

“Alright, even if it could, can, do whatever, why? Tell me why, why is it stopping busses and attacking my boy and the poisoning, none of it makes sense!”

“I’ve looked at this Red’s account, he can’t trade, can’t catch, cant store, but every town every center he visits, he always deposits something. He doesn’t even have to enter them, just walk by.”

“Even the ones we’ve shut down. Mrs. Katchem, “ Lance chimed in. “We’re taking this very seriously, when he’s spotted the gyms, the centers, all empty. We’re banning battles, ordering areas to lock down, the shops the gyms, and even sending shut downs in the systems and still… It’s causing chaos.”

“People don’t have to go to centers,” Delia huffed, “There are shops.”

“All of which have supplies in limited supply due to environmental concerns.” Lance grumbled. “Don’t you know…” A hiss from Leo shut him up. “I suppose he never told you… Fine, then I won’t. Before… before there were controls it was all commercial. The rates were so hiked up no one, not even champions could afford potions. The land’s resources were stripped so the only type of pokemon that were poison type, it took time immeasurable to rebuild. I really don’t think we want to go back to a world like that.”

“Sam?” Delia queried.

“I… people with a certain amount of social clout are given access to information, they can’t share it. Political and gym leaders mainly, and only the heads of the family of either or. Giovanni know… the person Leo not the Nido… whatever.” Another hiss had Oak groan. “It’s implausible Leo, impractical, unscientific, reincarnation flies in the face of reason.”

“But it happens.” Lance glowered down at the Nidoran who stared unblinking back up. “He’s still got that cold death glare down pat if nothing else…”

“Their.. I know their precious and wonderful creatures but…” Delia protested.

“”You’re thinking them like their pets. Well Ma’am people snap when their in pain then denied treatment, how do you think a growlith who can spit flame will react? Even a ratata, who are pests, can gnaw through iron with enough time. Do you think entitles you view as animals will tamely take it? How about if we have to lock them out of their pokeballs, do you think the towns, the small ones can cope with that many mouths to feed? We build this system for a reason, and this… boy… is disturbing it.”

“Ran ran.” If the words_ I warned you_ could have been stripped of their syllables and the pure intent put into a sound meaning flight… well they would have. Flopping on his side Leo turned from computer keybord and looked out.

“The public... have they been informed?” Oak asked, his tone stating he wanted the topic changed to avoid fight than for any other reason.

“No, which is why… if any of you wish to move about you’ll need to sign consent forms, noninterference, non-disclosure, that sort of thing.” Lance pulled some papers from his back pocket. 

“Come prepared I see.” Delia’s tone was frigid.

“It’s for your own safety.”

“I knew a man who said that to me once before Mr. Champion.” Delia growled. “I assure you, keeping silence about what I learned was one of my more serious mistakes in my life. I regret it, its cost lives, what will this cost?”

“If you don’t sign I’ve orders to put you, and your son, and the professor in protective custody, indefinitely.”

“I suppose we’ll get to read what we’re signing.” Oak gritted out.

“It won’t do you any good. So no, you won’t. Regardless,” Lance rose his voice, tilted his head to the door. “Once the paper works been signed we’ll see about getting you some civilian lodging, I understand the stations are down?”

The thudding of steps had Leo turn though he was the only adult to bother standing as the boy pounded in.

“Sorry… just… Uh… Oh no!” Looking from one trusted adult to the other Ash paled “What else went wrong.”

“Ran, Nido ran ran!”

“I don’t understand Nidoran Leo.”

“The trains this afternoon didn’t just all turn off Mr. Katchem, it’s not quite a catastrophe but the main communication means between Jhoto and Kanto are down.” Oak managed.

“Oh.” The boy deflated. “Now I feel all stupid, I mean it’s bad, but I thought it was worse.

Four gazes met, wordlessly communicating in adult as Persian wound about the boys feet, a mew and he was picked up and treated to some scratches and nonsense babble.

“Ran ran.” Nidoran huffed a weak complaint.

“I’m not spoiling him, you used to give him twenty something doller per can cat food and he wouldn’t even eat it all up. _That’s_ spoiling.”

Crystal blue eyes flicked to black, a milky white tail curled and the look planted on ex trainer was smug and then some.

Rolling his black eyes Leo hopped down from book laden chair he’d found perch on to the floor with a grunt, a curt “Ran.” Over his shoulder got Persian to squirm and Ash put him down.  
  
  
XXX  
  
  
  
  
  
Scene Idea for story beginning: viridian forrest.  
  
While surveying bug types Ash encounters jj and m or rather their pit trap.  
  
Scene Idea post mewtwo battle: possible sequel.

  
Story Notes: As a punishment and to restore balance between the mon entities as Mewtwo was to take his place as Deity of man made pokemon and be a link between the more wild elemental entities and humanity Mewtwo’s title went to his slayer. Thus Giovanni was forcibly ascended and went into hiding for a few weeks until he regained enough control to pretend to be human, and maintain a human form.

  
Immediately after retaining control he put forth a political campaign to remedy the rumors running amok about him being head of team rocket while also taking control of his illegal organization that had begun to fracture with his death and prolonged absence during his efforts to resurrect himself.

  
Publicly and politically he was quickly able to mend the damages and after some effort was able to regain all control of the Kanto region with his illegal resources. He however lost almost all hold on all the other reigns.

His solitude and a meeting with some of his more shadier associates is interrupted by Delia and Oak storming his residential manor in Viridian (Oaks pokemon attacking the guards and doing most of the storming) Giovanni sensing the disturbance dismisses his minions and they find him alone in his office where he demands with no surprise and a chill civility why they are bothering him. Delia rants that it’s his fault, dismissing her hysterics he turns to Oak who states that the league isn’t idiots, they used their political immunity to forcibly have Ash committed and were trying to force him to “talk” using medications to control him and advanced interrogation technics. Oak points out how Leo“Owes him” and Giovanni snarls that he pays his debts, calls in Jessie James and Meowth for extraction and with orders to pay no attention to collateral.

After extraction Leo places covert guards on the Katchems, uses his influence to wipe away the stain on the Katchem name for being associated with team rocket and allows them to resettle into pallet town. But with a warning to Delia that her time as stewardess over what is his is running very low.

Shortly after that though safely to Palette Ash is occasionally developing searing headaches, sickness, and his peers don’t believe the stories that have been told to his elders. He’s mercilessly bullied, which only dies down a little when Leo makes a point of reopening Palettes pokemon gym and regularly becoming a strained figure in his and Delia’s lives. What strains were between Leo and Oak mend but Delia is nervous whenever Leo is about and he is hostile to her when they are alone.

During a visit Leo has a vision of Arceus warning him that if he does not accept his duty his next of blood will inherit, infuriated he roars for them to get out, Delia comes into this scene and starts, cringing back as Leo seems mad, pacing about something that isn’t there, spying her from the corner of his eye he stops her from leaving and she nearly has hysterics seeing his eyes are glowing red, still when he touches her his vision passes to her as she’s “Part of his blood” due to being his mate and she sees Arceas, which the white dear creature wryly points out that dragging his mate into it or offering her as sacrifice will not appease him, take up the duties or else his son will. Delia snaps, saying Rocket or Arceus neither will control her boy, breaks Leo’s grip to throw something at the legendary but no longer holding Leo she can’t see or interact with him, and thus hits the wall, denting it.

“How long..”

“Before I died, right before, and ever since.” A grin more grimace. “Ever after I suppose.”

Slumping into nearest sitting/couch. “And it wants ash.”

“There is that.”

Jessie James and meowth return, pull up, both here Ash whimpering about sweet solid non carred ground. A bit later he comes in, slightly woozie with Jessie whining that she didn’t speed that much, and it was only one turn.

  
Ash sees Leo, unsurprised, staggers to nearest chair (short table) and just sits, eyes somewhat vacant.

Meowth: There mighta been some uh… pedestrians.... They ran real good though so no hit and runs  
  
  
  
Misc:  
Things prevalent to canon that are to be dropped:

The “to be a master vibe”

Gary Oak rivalry, Gary drops it thinking Ash is unworthy

Go to town beat a Gym, and leave

Team rocket as an antagonistic force, infighting defangs organization

Jessie, James and Meowth might show up once they realize what’s going on.

Missing parent angst. Ash believes Will Katchem to be his father and was told he’s in another region. 

Truth: Will doesn’t exist Gio is Ash’s father, Will was fictionalized to keep the locals from asking question of Delia. 

The Gio is Ash’s father stereotypical response

The join team rocket or else, or b attempts to redeem the evil villain. Giovanni knows he’s Ash’s father early on out and the only person present who really cares is Persian until very late in the fic. Persian views Ash as Giovanni’s kitten and is interested in the boy’s life, Gio only sees him as a tool. He does warm to the child but has no intent to revel his status for practical reasons.

To be expanded.

Economy/impact, a survivalist vibe that the games gloss over

Other communities besides the trainers circle  
Legendaries. There status/role  
Humanities role in a mon heavy world  
Humanity rebelling against the legends and the consequences  
Role of the elite four, the governments, business rockets  
Various villain teams existing all at once. 


	2. More notes, scene ideas, some dated for Dodging

Notes for dodging

**Giovannis “dodging team”**

Rhydon

Nidoking

Persian

Fearow

Golem

Machamp

Notes: None are “sentimental” keep sakes, all are trained for aggression, only Nido and Persian are balanced in their training. All have TM HM adjustments and have been experimented on to bring out their maximum values

**Ash’s tem**

Persian (Leos)

Nidoran (Leo himself)

Sandshew “Sunny” (mount moon capture)

Spearow “trickster” (random capture location pending

Ratata “rescue” (literally rescued from Persian, hence the name)

Notes: Ash’s team is not for battling but exploring. Trick, serves as a scout to keep Ash from getting lost. Sunny, scouts mountain regions. Others are friends on a journey.

**Garys tem “dodging consequence”**

Squirtle (and all it’s later evolutions)

Eevee (meant to evolve to jolteon)

Nidoran female (to be evolved into nidoqueen earliest)

Growlith (same)

Variable, changes to cover present gyms weakness

Machoke (unable to get someone to trade w him to make it evolve)

Notes: all pokemon are evolved asap even to determent of moveset. All are trained to be aggressive and he lacks defensive capacity.

**Reds team**

Pikachu

Missing number

‘m

Bad egg

Notes: The malice of a murdered poke god mewtwo at first glance looks like a stilted version of Ash. If it’s Pikachu is defeated however it fights with glitch mon that cause reality distortions.

Notes:

**Acquiring PERSIAN**

**SCENE IDEA**

Persian

At viridian Nido Leo encourages Ash to be out during the time Persian’s normally active and near Persian’s present hide out. Hen the boy tried to get Persian for his ‘dex Leo acts friendly (calling him “old friend”) Persian becomes insulted by familiarity, attacks Nidoran and it’s trainer, (Leo refuses to fight saying “too many have hurt him”, meaning Persian, this really pisses off Persian) . Under his claws Leo inquires at to how the shoulder is, as left paw swipe is unusual and he favors his right. Persian backs off, flees to inside of shed. Nido Leo poison stings wall, picks off quivers and uses it to pick the lock. Ash follows, bemused, Persian nesting in storage shed (a stolen feather own mattress perched at a back corner, crowns the highest box pile as a nest) clambering up Leo talks to Persian.

“You always were one for comfort.”

“You never were satisfied with such.” Statement is said like a question.

“Never satisfied, ever, part of ambition I suppose.”

At top shipment is torn, feathers strewn about, as they sit Ash paces after them from floor. They sit on comfort summit side by side.

“They said you were dead, the Elders.”

“I think I am.”

Both watch boy scramble up nearby, shorter pile. Wrapped (only base of pile boxes) slick w saran wrap, the boy falls under their apathetic regard.

“You were to be punished.”

“I can’t be as I was, as I am, now.” Leo waves paw. “No Rocket would be content to follow me, no man would accept my lead. My ambitions are dead. How is that not punishment?”

“You’re alive.”

A laugh. “To what end?”

“Comfort?” Persian’s voice is husky, dry, perhaps age perhaps hard living Leo couldn’t tell. He’s aware of the tones, the meows being uttered but under that words. He dwells on the contradiction for a while.

“I’ve plans. Sketchy things, buy I’ve plans.” 

A purr to the statement, that’s unchanged, that and the glimmer of laughter to those near translucent eyes. “Unchangeable, ever and always the same, solid and sure as the very earth.”

“This isn’t permanent, I won’t let it be.”

“Of course not.” Persian flops to side. Persian flicks his tail. “Not that _anyone’s_ ever succeeded in thwarting the Elders before this.”

“The world made a hell of a mistake when she shackled her gods in flesh and blood.” Tasting bitter poison Leo nipped on stolen bed’s edge, tainting it black. “Gods that can be chained aren’t.”

“And the boy?”

Who was about halfway up having figured the trick to climbing, clumsily. Leo looked down at him, black seeped about his snout. He spat, over edge, dislodging another glob of venom away from ascended and more important Persian. Bristling his quills, Leo hummed ill content making venom surge along spines and adding a sheen of gloss to his pelt. All unconcerned Persian looked on.

“That, old friend, is our transport.”

“And myself?

Whispered. “All I’ve left.”

To such stark sincerity the normal type stilled.

“You’re all I have left. I’ve lost everything, home, power, even the means to act on my own ambition. I’ve no _voice_ Persian, to the world I could decry these false deities and _all _they’d hear would be a name.”

“It’s always been like that. It either makes us humble or drives us or mad.” Whiskers twitched. “Sometimes both, but Rhy was always a bit special.” Arms slung over edge, fingers scrunched into gripping pseudo claws, one leg swung overm then the other.Graceful it was not, still the boy got up, while lab coat greyed in all the usual sweat meets dust spots sort of ways. The child’s league cap missing.

“Hey… there. Boy grinned as Persian considered child with half lidded eyes. “You a friend of Leo’s?”

“Merow.” White fangs flashed at yowls end.

“Well it’s uh.. nice to meet you.” A quick glance and amused at the angle of the boy’s look Persian sheathed his claws. “I’m Ash, and well you kow Leo.. and… I got a favor to ask. But wow, the view up here is nice isn’t it? I bet you can see all the Rattata up here!”

“Merow.” The noise was scornful, and the head tip and locked regard spoke of more than one scornful sentiment in play.

“Oh yeah, didn’t mean to ramble. if you and Leo are done I’ll ask, if not I’ll wait, and if it’s private or something I’ll do this.”

Clapping his hands over his ears Ash waited for a reply. Since he couldn’t hear it wasn’t as easy to tell but Leo likely “Ran’d” at him, (at least he’d rolled his eyes , rolling his head a little as he did so) and Persian, well they weren’t built for smiles, but the w his eyes just shined and how his whiskers twitched up a bit. It was as close as he could get.

“So,” ears unclasped but hands held close just in case. “Are you guys done yet?”

Poison type considered normal, then both looked at him expectantly.

“I’m gunna have to do the hand thing, aren’t I?”

Two nods were tipped his way.

“Someone poke me when you’re done.” Up went hands and a hummed ditty as well.

One of the two recognized it as some child’s program, neither would tell, telling untold that both knew the tune though it was tonelessly hummed and hummed loud.

“Odd kitten.” Persian noted. “Is he old enough to be off his mother’s milk and wander so?”

“He’s odd alright, but useful despite his… outré manners.” Leo agreed. “And as for the last, I wonder..”

“So,” licking a pwa Persian purred, “Terms.”

Because stark sincerity and sentiment had its place, but not here. Black eyes glittered in amusement and agreement.

“Since you are so generously hosting and I still remember what manners are like… you may open with what you like.” Leo drawled, “Me agreeing is not a guarantee of course.”

“Of course.” Purr blended words. A tongue wetted paw scraped against muzzle, slid about ears. “I won’t serve the child. I’m not a grunt. Your ambition, I want to know all of it and together we’ll bring it about unless you do another mad power think like try to make a god in a glass cup. I will leave after killing you first if you do something so mad again.”

“Fair.” Leo nodded. “But has it been any other way?”

“Once or twice, you have treated me like a grunt, but you learned better.” Fangs flashed, then were sheathed as paw was rewetted and the scruff shakily cleaned. “But the last… Your madness took you from the world and there is no world without the earth to bind it.” 

Throat dry, his “ran” was a cough, still the words sounded steady enough. “Sam’s been a vile influence on you.”

“Perhaps, I need my carry ball, you’ll keep your kitten here, he’d be better carrying me than you, there’d be too many questions.”

“When did he become my kitten?” Leo hissed, bristling and venomous in one and quite literally. 

Canting a humored look down and over his shoulder Persian padded to mattress corner and then jumped down, and then Leo was busy keeping Ash from following with hisses and nips because he didn’t have arms. Persians quick return, worn pokeball in mouth, stilled the pseudo heroics.

“Wait…” heroics forgotten, fear fading, boy considered cat. “You belong to someone, like a real person?”

“Merow!” blue eyes met the child’s dark ones and they blinked, then seeing the hint not taken the feline nodded, back stiff with pride, tail up and tip curled because he was. Someones. And they were going to make this right so he’d be with that someone again.

“Well we got to get you home… let’s see if Dex has a way to do that...”

The boy forgot perch, and everything to fiddle with his boxy tech, all but ignoring the ball that Persian nudged him with.

“It doesn’t work like that.” Leo drawled.

“But if we can get him in it then pull him out when we need him to deal with the stupider humans..” Persian hissed, poking the boy with the pokeball and nearly recalling himself in the process.

Unable to help himself, Leo laughed, it wasn’t right, not to his ears, a nidoran had a shrill squeaky voice and his voice had settled into a baritone as he’d left childhood behind. He recalled how he sounded and hearing the juxtapose between then and now startled him to sobriety after a few barks of mirth.

“We’ll fix this.” Persian promised.

Some time passed, and when scanning the pokeball with dex netted him nothing Ash slumped in a huff. Why couldn’t it do what he needed it to do instead of tell him the pokeball was a pokeball?

A paw poked his side, claws pricking. Looking down Ash found Persian touch near, mouth straining to hold a pokeball gone wide with many pokes.

“Oh… That looks… Let me help.”

A little effort and Ash held the ball, a press on it’s black and yellow stripped top caused it to pop open all accidental.

A mechanical voice, all monotone, similar to dex’s spoke up. “Name: Persian, species: Persian. Trainer ID: ooo685-7916.”

Viridian SCENE IDEA

While surveying bug types Ash encounters JJandM or rather their pit traps. A bit later team rocket appears, Leo is ranting and when Jessie and James realize that their catch wasn’t coming out they throw a rope. Ash climbs out and they threaten to battle him for his pokemon, they laugh at the Nidoran calling it a shrimp for the shrimp.

Ash: Two vs one, that’s not fair!”

JJ: “We’re not fair, we’re team rocket.”

Poison doesn’t work against poison, Leo dodges, still hissing ekans and koffing are starting to hesitate and slow despite JandJ goading. Meowth yowls “Yer wha- stop. Call ‘em back! He’s one of us!”

Ash: “Wha-“

JJ: Really? To Ash “why didn’t you just say so? Aw it’s his first mission out in the field.” 

JJ stands down after to have “kiddo” over for dinner.

Ash stiffly goes along with it.

TR friendly, bickering, reminiscing about first heists.

Jessie (held up pokemart)

James (undercover duty for higher ups with koffing serving as smokescreen get away)

When stories are done they ask him what he’s doing.

Ash: Uhm,,, I uh don’t wanna talk about it?”

JJ: Those are the best!

Meowth: Kid, could I uh… borrow your Nido here?”

Ash to Leo “You wanna go?

Nido rolls eyes but nods. Ash: “’k, have fun. But be back soon.” Watery smile, gives TR a pointed look.

Leo snickers as he pads off.

(one sided conversation with Meowth filling in the blanks doesn’t make a lot of sense but hints that leos tipping his hand to meowth and giving him an honest run don of what’s going on.

JJ decide to give a cooler name to Ash, pinging ideas back and forth.

James: you’ll thank us, something to remember your first mission by.”

Jessie: And we’ll make sure It’s stylish too.”

Stays over post dinner, sets up blankets within TR camp. James explains how they lost to some kid with a pikachu, (pokecenter robbery episode season one, first TR cameo?) they’re licking wounds, trying to figure out what to do next. Said whimsically, “Well he’s not around now?” Ash points out. James declares him brilliant, goes to bed giggling. Ash turns in, considers Leo whose settling in to sleep next to him. Sheepishly “I think I just did something stupid and illegal…”

Behind them TR are bouncing about like mad things, plans to rerob the center and the Gym being bandied about, after all the freakishly strong Pikachu won’t be there, right?

“Ra Ran.” Agreement and dread color those nonsense words.


End file.
